Paul
Have-a-go Hero
Posts: 212
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Post by Paul on Mar 22, 2011 12:33:05 GMT
Hi all Has anyone got any tips for a cheaper supplier for citrus degreaser for cleaning our beloved bikes? The "official" stuff sold on CRC / Halfords etc seems very expensive for what it is - and strikes me as probably being a watered down version of a commercial product. Anyone found a good supplier for concentrate? I did find the following so am tempted to order 5L www.travena.co.uk/citrus_degreaser.htmCheers Paul |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2011 13:04:53 GMT
Cheapest way to clean bike and in my mind the best is a chaincleaner (kind that the chain runs through) and gunk, clean the clain with this, pour a bit of gunk into a small container and use a good cleaning brush to clean the cogs / chainrings. Wash off with a hose.
Then clean the whole bike with a busket of warm water and washing up liquid with car brush and wash off with hose.
Lube chain etc. and you're done in a very short time.
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Post by BenKMV on Mar 22, 2011 15:09:21 GMT
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Post by Craigy Boy on Mar 22, 2011 16:07:13 GMT
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Paul
Have-a-go Hero
Posts: 212
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Post by Paul on Mar 22, 2011 17:57:59 GMT
Thats great guys - just what I was looking for. Gus - my technique is very similar to yours but just fed up of paying a fortune for degreaser in small quantities. £10 per litre for Fenwicks or £1.45 per litre (or 3p / litre when diluted) for Swarfega concentrate pretty much sums it up really.
Thats great Craigy Boy - just what I was looking for. Nearest Screwfix is only 20 mins drive away too!! Cheers mate
Paul
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Post by voodoopiles on Mar 22, 2011 18:21:26 GMT
Chain off, plonk in an old lenor bottle, squirt in some Fairy, pour in boiling water (not loads) and stick the lid on and shake like billy-o. You'll notice the handle gets mad hot and you have to juggle it a bit plus there's always the excitement of the bottle potentially bursting as you are basically pressure washing it. Undo lid, pour liquid away and remove your chain and rinse....oh, and give it a buff with a nail brush if it needs it before spraying with WD and laying on cardboard or hanging to dry  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2011 19:15:31 GMT
Chain off, plonk in an old lenor bottle, squirt in some Fairy, pour in boiling water (not loads) and stick the lid on and shake like billy-o. You'll notice the handle gets mad hot and you have to juggle it a bit plus there's always the excitement of the bottle potentially bursting as you are basically pressure washing it. Undo lid, pour liquid away and remove your chain and rinse....oh, and give it a buff with a nail brush if it needs it before spraying with WD and laying on cardboard or hanging to dry Bloody 'ell... no thanks, leave the bugger on the bike and clean it there with a chain cleaner, dry it after with an old rag and spray some lube on it... ower!!! |
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Post by iggy on Mar 22, 2011 19:37:51 GMT
Thats what I use, had it for a year now and only used about 1/10th of it! Got it from B&Q for £7. I put 2 capfuls in my old 'muc off' spray bottle and half fill it with warm water, this then lasts about a month! haha, mega cheapness and better than muc off too ;D |
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Paul
Have-a-go Hero
Posts: 212
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Post by Paul on Mar 22, 2011 20:40:32 GMT
Washing up liquid and WD40 - got to be pretty much the two most avoided products i use to be honest. Washing Up liquid contains salts - and are not good for paint, machined metal items (like chains). Hope you wash it off well Voodoo. I find WD40 tends to form a sticky mess eventually.
I'll try B&Q Warehouse for the Swarfega degreaser then i think - its closer than Screrwfix to work.
Cheers
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Post by oldgit on Mar 22, 2011 20:45:09 GMT
I use the process as therapy and sit quietly with a tooth brush and lube and go round the chain. I put a cloth over the chain stay and lower part of the wheel. Very satisfying. Then clean the cassette  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2011 22:12:19 GMT
Washing up liquid and WD40 - got to be pretty much the two most avoided products i use to be honest. Washing Up liquid contains salts - and are not good for paint, machined metal items (like chains). Hope you wash it off well Voodoo. I find WD40 tends to form a sticky mess eventually. I'll try B&Q Warehouse for the Swarfega degreaser then i think - its closer than Screrwfix to work. Cheers Well I've used washing up liquid on all my bikes since a kid, it's never damaged any part of any bike I've had and leaves the alloy, metals and paint nice, clean and shiny. |
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Post by Oggy on Mar 22, 2011 22:16:30 GMT
Same here, always found a few drops of washing up liquid in a bucket of warm water works a treat and has never damaged or dulled any paint work
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Post by Arnie on Mar 22, 2011 23:07:55 GMT
Same here, always found a few drops of washing up liquid in a bucket of warm water works a treat and has never damaged or dulled any paint work I've found the opposite  Washing up liquid in warm water has noticeably dulled the paintwork on my bikes. Can anyone suggest a cost effective alternative? Thanks for the heads-up about the Swarfega degreaser Craigy, I'll be getting some of that too |
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Post by thistle on Mar 22, 2011 23:31:36 GMT
Same here, always found a few drops of washing up liquid in a bucket of warm water works a treat and has never damaged or dulled any paint work I use a bit of washing up liquid for washing down but always give it a good rinse afterwards. For chain cleaning, I do voodoopile's method but use white spirit (much more manly) - also known as the Sheldon shake method. Fish it out with an old spoke and leave the white spirit to settle out. Then decant the clean stuff into a new jar/bottle to use again rather than spending a fortune buying fresh all the time. Need to watch you don't lose a roller out of the chain where you've unclipped it and you need to relube it obviously once it's dried out. |
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Post by Oggy on Mar 23, 2011 7:50:19 GMT
Same here, always found a few drops of washing up liquid in a bucket of warm water works a treat and has never damaged or dulled any paint work I've found the opposite Washing up liquid in warm water has noticeably dulled the paintwork on my bikes. Can anyone suggest a cost effective alternative? Thanks for the heads-up about the Swarfega degreaser Craigy, I'll be getting some of that too That will just be from the washing action itself, the use of brushes etc against the paintwork is whats does the damage. |
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Washing up liquid in warm water has noticeably dulled the paintwork on my bikes. Can anyone suggest a cost effective alternative?